


Reprise

by stopmopingstarthoping



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Bittersweet, Friendship, Gen, Memories, Music
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:08:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23882785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stopmopingstarthoping/pseuds/stopmopingstarthoping
Summary: A familiar song follows Noctis through good times and tougher ones, then loops around to carry him home.Written for Regalia Mixtape, an FFXV music-themed zine.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia & Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum & Ignis Scientia
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	Reprise

Ignis worried about the weather as the day of their trip dawned, cool and damp. He peered through the blinds and stared at the clouds, trying to decide if they were gray enough to present a risk. The bright shards of light breaking through behind them were promising, though, and he exhaled through his nose and pushed up his glasses. He picked up the small bag of things he’d packed for Noct and himself, and headed to the car to pick up the others.

“It’s not fair, Gladdy! I want to come too! You know I know how to camp.” Iris crossed her arms and flopped onto the couch.

Gladio ruffled her hair regretfully and dropped to a knee in front of her. “I know Moogs, but this trip is just for the big kids. We’ll go again in a couple weeks, okay? Just the three of us, once Dad can get off work.”

“So you mean, like, never.” Iris’ brown eyes rolled and looked off to the side.

Gladio tapped her on the nose to make her look at him again. “We’ll go see that waterfall again, okay? Whether Dad can come or not.”

She nodded. “Marshmallows?”

He laughed, and got up to grab his bag. “Absolutely.” 

Prompto paced, fidgeting with his wristband and glancing out the window. He was equal parts nervous and excited—mostly he worried about spending an entire weekend with Noctis’ fancy friends and a bunch of Glaives he barely knew. He hoped they wouldn’t think he was annoying. As the sleek black car pulled up out front, he let himself out, locked the door, and bounced out to the car, waving cheerily.

Noctis stared out the window silently, lost in thought. He rested his chin on his hand, and black strands dangled in front of his vision. Gladio nudged him in the ribs, and he shrugged away. He felt awkward and like he was the center of attention for this trip. Were the Glaives supposed to teach them—teach _him_ —how to rough it? What for? Just once, it would be super cool not to feel like he was on the spot for everything.

“Lighten up, Princess. This trip is for fun, okay?” Gladio reached around him to roll down the window, and the rush of air did ruffle some of the melancholy that had been pooling in Noctis’ gut. He rolled his eyes at Gladio, but a hint of a smile crept across his lips, especially when Prompto turned up the radio.

Ignis, as usual, saw everything in the rearview mirror. “You know, Noct, I think I heard Crowe mention something about a fishing hole nearby. If you can catch something worth eating, I’ll do my best on the camp stove.”

Noctis leaned forward at that. “ _If_ I can catch something! Lead me to it. Those fish never saw me coming.” He cracked his knuckles and grinned, and Ignis’ amused nod echoed Gladio’s chuckle from the back seat.

Prompto tapped his fingers along to the beat on the roof of the car, and for a few moments, Noctis felt free.

They followed the battered military-issue jeep for the next few hours, but Ignis had the coordinates for their destination just in case they missed a turn, or Prompto had to take one of his many stops to gawk at the scenery and take a photo. Ignis had seen that he’d felt reluctant to ask, and made sure to stop at least once at a particularly scenic overlook without being asked so he could stop feeling bad about it. 

They pulled along the side of the road next to the jeep and Ignis looked over questioningly as the four Glaives piled out. Nyx waved at all of them to do the same.

“Walking from here. It’s close. Let’s go!”

Ignis nodded, put the car in park, and popped the trunk.

The tall grass swished against Noctis’ legs as they walked; quick enough to avoid a lazy pace, but slow enough to remind them all that this was a weekend of recreation. 

“Cor tell you guys why he wanted you to bring us out here?” Gladio drew even with Libertus as they headed toward the blue light that could just barely be seen wisping toward the sky.

Libertus shook his head. “Just said it was an important part of training to get outdoors every so often. Also said it would be good for you guys to—” 

He was cut off by a noise from Crowe, who’d stolen Nyx’s flask and yelped as she leapt out of the way from him trying to snatch it back. They took off running toward the haven, and their energy was contagious.

The weekend turned out to be much more easygoing than Noctis had feared on the car ride there. Sure, Crowe had made sure to show him how to watch for predators in the dark, but that was after a long, full afternoon of peaceful fishing. They'd sat companionably on the small dock together, and Noctis liked that Crowe shared his propensity toward quiet. He didn't particularly like that she caught all the biggest fish, but, well, he _was_ still learning. 

Iggy seemed to really enjoy Pelna’s Galahdian grilling techniques, and watching Gladio try to one-up Nyx as they put the tent up together made Noctis laugh quietly to himself. He was happy to see Libertus showing Prompto a bunch of wildlife—Prompto was going to have a million good photos.

Mostly, he was grateful to the Glaives for making the four of them feel less like they were being babysat or tutored and more like they were just hanging out. As firelight replaced daylight, he looked around. Noctis’ friends looked like he felt: relaxed into warmth and food as velvety cool darkness settled over the campsite. 

Nyx lobbed a beer at Pelna, who caught it almost without looking, and Noctis admired the easiness the four of them had with each other. He realized some of it was born of combat, of constantly having each others’ backs, worrying about each other, depending on each other… He was happy for them to have this time to relax together. 

Libertus fished a battered old acoustic guitar out of their bags, and Nyx accepted it, tuning it up a little before starting to play. A soft smile broke over Pelna’s face, and he sidled in close as Crowe started singing. She was quiet enough at first that Noctis could hear the squeak of Nyx sliding his fingers across the strings. The song swelled and grew, and the other Glaives grinned and joined in.

_Cliff and rock and field and stream_

_Hand in hand and back to mine_

_Start to end; wake to dream_

_Until the stars refuse to shine_

_Because you’re not alone_

_You’re all I need; you’re hearth and home_

It was catchy, and Noctis caught Prompto singing along to the chorus by the second time through. Gladio’s deep bass surprised him from behind, and Ignis cracked one of those rare brilliant smiles as his foot tapped. Noctis looked up at the stars, which were fully visible by now, and the song drifted into his ears as he fell asleep against his rolled-up sleeping bag. The warmth of the companionship mingled with the warmth of the fire, and he slid into pleasant dreams.

***

Only a few days since the Fall. They’d been through feeling stunned, angry, confused… Now it was more like numb. And exhausted. The dropships were unrelenting, and escaping from them during the day meant dealing with daemons at night. They were dirtier than they’d like and more disheveled than Ignis thought at all appropriate. Noctis could tell that Prompto was trying not to complain about being hungry, and he spotted Gladio nodding off in his chair, then looking around quickly and hoping no one noticed. At least they’d been able to find a caravan.

Noctis fiddled with the radio. Maybe there’d be some news that wasn’t completely awful, or he could at least get some dark amusement out of more reports that he was dead, that he’d perished in the Fall with the others.

 _The others_. Just as he’d called to mind their friends who had probably met the same hideous end as his father, as Gladio’s—the song came on.

_From the moment you arrived_

_I knew that you’d be on my side_

_You’ve had my back for all this time_

_The best and brightest one I know_

_Oh no, you’re not alone_

_Forever be my hearth and home_

It was poppier, smoother, more produced than the relaxed, acoustic rendition they’d heard around that campfire so long ago, but it was unmistakably the same song. Noctis felt his chest somehow swell and clench at the same time, and it hurt.

Prompto propped an elbow on the table, one hand covering his face, and Noctis knew if he looked close enough he’d see tears. 

Ignis cleared his throat and turned away quickly, bustling with something behind him with a suspicious amount of urgency.

Gladio moved to sit between Noctis and the road, looking off at the horizon with a renewed sense of alertness, protective even in his sleepiness.

Noctis stared at the silver surface of the radio as the tinny tune scratched its way out. It hadn’t really been that long since he’d watched four Glaives dart through wisping grass, carefree, sharing their close-knit warmth with the four of them - but it might as well have been in a different world. He felt the memory burn in his chest, and that campfire reconstructed itself in his mind until he swore he could smell it, taste the spices in the food that Iggy had helped Pelna cook, feel the breeze off the water as he’d cast a line and watched the low-hanging sun sparkle across the surface. It was painful how much he wanted it back. All of it; all of them.

The song ended, but the lingering soreness in his chest continued. Humming the tune under his breath, Noctis got up and made a fire. Big logs, then small sticks. Methodical, determined. He lit it, and watched his friends slowly gather themselves and draw near. He could almost see the way the warmth lifted just a little of the burden from their shoulders. Gladio leaned back and relaxed the far-off stare he’d fixed on the horizon. Ignis finished putting their dinner equipment away and finally sat in a chair, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, elbows on knees. Prompto sat down close to the fire, crossing his legs on the ground and closing his eyes for a long moment. The four of them looked at each other across the flickering flames.

They didn’t have much, but they had this. And they had each other. 

***

The makeshift campfire in the courtyard of the Citadel was unorthodox—definitely not protocol. Which was why it had been so surprising that Ignis had been the one to suggest it. Noctis had nodded in acknowledgement; who exactly, was going to tell them no? The sun was already dipping below the horizon in a furious burst of red and pink, and they all watched it for a moment. Noctis knew they were all thinking about how it would rise tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. Some had already begun to take that certainty for granted. But not the four of them. They never would.

The strains of a guitar made Noctis’ breath catch, and he looked over and Prompto’s blond head bent over the strings. Prompto looked up at him as if to say “Okay? I can stop,” but he didn’t need to say it out loud. Not after all they'd been through together. 

“It’s good.” Noctis answered his unasked question, came up behind him, and clapped a hand on his shoulder. The words had come out raspy and deep, and Noctis didn’t trust himself to sing. He felt the baritone roll in from Ignis’ direction and sweep him up in its tone, supporting him as always, before he realized he needed it. He didn’t know when Gladio had started singing either, but his rich, full voice was just that constant presence that was Gladio. 

Noctis stood still and squeezed Prompto’s shoulder for a moment. If he’d tried to sing, it would have come out broken. But just as always, the three of them carried him until he could make it on his own. Like they always had. 

That same tight, hot feeling flooded his chest just like it had before, outside that shitty caravan. Memories of the tinny radio music blended with the voices of Nyx, of Pelna, of Prompto singing right there in front of him. Tears did fall, then, and he just let them, until the song ended. He dragged a sleeve across his face and shot Prompto a damp grin.

“Nyx would have absolutely given you shit for that barre chord, Prom.”

Prompto’s watery laugh, Gladio’s steady gaze, the bright flash of Ignis’ smile - these were the things that had gotten Noctis through the long night. He’d hoped to see them again just as the world had hoped to see the sun peek up over the horizon, and he knew that they were the greatest treasures of his life. Deep emotion danced with easy familiarity as they talked and laughed late into the night, and past swirled with present as Noctis’ chest swelled, this time in gratitude.

He was home.


End file.
